Henry wedekindt



(No Model.)

H. WBDEKINDT, Jr. BOX.

' NaI-577,972. Patented Mar. 2, 1897.

.- INVENTOB.

a? WITNEssEs:

Amor-mms.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY wE'DEKINDr, JE., or BuEFALo, NEW YORK.

Blox.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,972, dated March 2, 1897. Application filed August 27, 1896. Serial No. 604,061. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern' .Be it known that LHENRY WEDEKINDT, Jr. a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Boxes, of 'which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more especially to the kind of boxes which are designed to receive a coffin and which are commonly known as rough boxes, although myimprovement is equally applicable to various other boxes.

The improvement has more particular reference to boxes inwhich the lid or cover is divided lengthwise into two sections, which are attached to the body of the box in such a manner that when removed from the top of the box they are suspended against the sides of the box.

The object of my invention is the provision of a simple and inexpensive connection or attachment for such a cover which permits the same to be conveniently manipulated and which is not liable to be injured or broken in shippingthe boxes.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a rough box provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a vertical crosssection thereof through a pair of the attachments or connections, showing the cover in place on the box. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the box open. Fig. lis a fragmentary top plan view of the cover-sections, showing the fastening for connecting the same. Fig. 5 is a detached perspective view of one of the hinge connections. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section of the box through one of the guide-bolts on an enlarged scale.

Like letters of .reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A is the body of the box, and A the `sections of the longitudinally-divided lid or cover. One of these sections is preferably provided at its inner edge with an overhanging longitudinal strip a, which overlaps the adjoining section, so as to cover the joint between the sections. Each of the cover-sections is connected with the side walls of the box-body by attachmentsor hinge connections, which are preferably arranged near opposite ends of the body. Each of these attachments comprises an upper leaf or mem- Vland 2.

ber B, secured transversely to the under side of the cover by screws or other fastenings, as shown, and a lower leaf or member B', hinged at its upper end to the outer end of the upper member, as shown at b, and arranged to move vertically on the adjacent side wall of the box-body. This lower member is slidably attached to the box-body by a horizontal guide-bolt or headed projection c, secured to the adjacent side wall of the box and passing through a longitudinal slot, d, formed in said member and extending to the extreme upper end of the same, so as to intersect the hinge o, as most clearly shown in Figs. l and 5. l

The upper member B is provided' with a longitudinal slot e, which extends inwardly from its outer end, so as to form a continuation of the slot d of the lower member B. rlhe cover is provided on its under side opposite the slot of the upper member B with a transverse groove or recessf, which opens at the outer edge of the cover and which is adapted to receive the head or nut of the bolt c when the cover is suspended at'the side of the box, as shown in Fig. 3. The bolt c is preferably provided with a washer c', which overlaps the lower hinge member B', and with an antifriction-roller o2, which runs in contact with the edges of the slot d, so as to reduce the friction to a minimum and prevent binding of the slotted members Von the bolt.

'When the cover-sections are in place on the box, the upper members B of their attachments occupy a position at right angles to the upright lower members B', and the hinges b, which connect said members, are located at the upper edges of the box, as shown in Figs. In uncovering the box two persons standing at opposite ends of the box grasp the two cover-sections, one in each hand, and rst swing the same upwardly and outwardly to the upright position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 and then allow the same to slide downward to a position beside the box and parallel therewith, as shown in Fig. 3. In thus manipulating the cover sections the same swing on the hinges b until the upper members B reach a position vertically in line with the lower members B' and the two members then slide downward on the guide-bolts c until the upper ends of the grooves f of IOO the cover-sections come in contact with the Washer c of said bolts, when the cover-sections are suspended from the bolts, as shown in Fig. 3. As the hinges of the several attachments are slotted or divided they freely slide past the guide-bolts in lowering the sections, thereby allowing the bolts to enter the slots of the upper members B. The slots of the two members are of the proper length to permit the above-described movements of the cover-scctions,and the dimensions of the parts are such that when the sections are open the lower members B' do not extend below the bottom of the box.

The sections are closed over the box by simply raising them until the hinges b of the attachments reach the upper edges of the box and then swinging them down upon the box. The sections are preferably connected together by a hook and eye g g', as shown in Fig. 4, or by any other suitable fastening.

My improved cover attachment is not only very convenient in use, but it is compact and presents a comparatively small projection on the side of the box. This side arrangement of the attachment is also more desirable than the end links or attachments heretofore employed, as such boxes are usually placed on end in freight-houses and in rail\vay-ca1s, and hence such side attachments are less liable to be injured or broken than the end attachments.

In order to prevent sagging or collapsing of the cover under the Weight of the superposed earth when the box is used as a rough box, the latter is provided on its inner side near its upper edge with longitudinal cleats H, upon which are placed a number of removable cross-bars I before elosin g the cover. These cross-bars stiften the cover and also serve as temporary supports for the casket preparatory to lowering the same into the box, the cross-bars being removed before lowering the casket and again replaced before closing the cover.

I claim as my inventionw l. rlhe combination with a box and its cover, of a connection for the cover arranged at a distance from the ends thereof and comprising an upper leaf or hinge member secured to the cover and adapted to stand parallel with the adjacent side Wall of the box `when the cover is open ed and lowered, alower leaf hinged at its upper end to the outer end of said upper leaf and capable of sliding vertically on the side Wall of the box, and a retaining device applied to the same side Wall of the box and arranged to engage with said lower leaf and confine the same against the box when the cover is closed and to engage with and confine said upper leaf when the cover is lowered beside the box, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the body of abox having a pin or bolt projecting from one of its side Walls, and a cover for the box, of an attachment for the cover comprising an upper hinge member or leaf secured to the cover and having a longitudinal slot extending in- Ward] y from its innerend and adapted to receive the pin or bolt of the box-body when the cover| is opened and lowered, and alower vertically-slidi ng leaf hinged at its upper end to said upper leaf and having a longitudinal slot Which receives said pin or projection when the cover is closed, the slots of the two leaves for-min g a continuous slot which extends across the joint of the hinge, substantially as Set forth.

3. The combination with the body of the box having a headed pin or projection and the cover, of an attachment for the cover comprising an upper slotted member secured to the under side of the covcrand alower slotted member hinged to said upper member and provided with a longitudinal slot connecting With the slot of the upper member and adapted to receive the headed projection of the box-body, the cover being provided opposite the slot of the upper member with a transverse groove opening at the outer edge thereof and adapted to receive the head of said projection, substantially as set forth.

Vitness my hand this 22d day of August, 189C.

HENRY llEDEKlNDT, JR.

Vitnesses:

CARL F. GEYER, JNO. J. BoNNER. 

